ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Thursday questioned the employment of an MA graduate as a sweeper in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s education department, with Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi calling it a reflection of systemic failure and directing the provincial government to offer the employee a more appropriate position.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Rizvi heard an appeal against a Peshawar High Court (PHC) ruling concerning the appointment of an MA-qualified individual as a sweeper. During the hearing, Justice Rizvi remarked, “Will an MA graduate now work as a sweeper?” He added that dismissing the employee after 10 years of service would not be appropriate and directed the provincial government to provide the complainant with another suitable job.

When the additional advocate general informed the court that there were currently no vacant sweeper posts in the province, Justice Rizvi responded, “Has KP become so clean that it no longer needs sweepers?” before adding that he had heard such claims about another province.

The district education officer told the court that the employee’s duties included sweeping and cleaning. In response, Justice Rizvi asked, “Did no one feel ashamed watching an MA graduate sweep the floors?”

He observed that employing a postgraduate as a sweeper was “a matter of serious concern for the system” and remarked sarcastically that “the system deserves congratulations” for assigning such work to an MA graduate.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the Federal Constitutional Court dismissed the appeal and upheld the PHC’a ruling.